Have we fallen out of love with our locks?

Only 1 in 10 British women are happy with their hair according to new research

Research commissioned by Charles Worthington has revealed some interesting new truths about the nation’s hair. We’re all familiar with negative body image, but how about bad hair image? The new survey suggests it could be on the rise, with a surprising number of British women confessing to being desperately unhappy with their hair.

Only one in ten surveyed said they actually like the way their hair looks.

Women in London are the ones who seem to love their locks best (19%), while Scotland is home to the greatest number of women who are most frustrated by their hair (34%). Women in the South West are most open to admitting that they are in a hair rut (30%), whilst despite all the beauty pages and tutorials available these days, a quarter of women from the South East feel that they can’t do anything with their hair (24%).
Life coach and psychologist Judi James comments: ‘Women tend to have a very uneasy relationship with their hair because – unlike guys – it tends to be seen to define us and our personalities, with words like ‘Blonde’ or ‘Brunette’ providing a stereotypical view of character and behaviour. I get many women asking me if their blonde hair or their long hair could be holding them back at work if they are seen as stupid or childlike or even overtly sexy.’

According to the survey, women in Scotland and East Anglia are least likely to have ever drastically changed their style, while trend savvy Londoners are the most likely to have changed their look within the last month.

Judi continues, divulging that, ‘we struggle to control our hair, primarily because, as the survey suggests, we stick to one basic signature look that might not suit us or our hair type, and we fail to discuss or learn about products, meaning we can be confused and even overwhelmed by buying at random. Our hair has a direct link to our confidence and this can work in both ways. Great hair projects high levels of confidence and it also has an intra-personal effect, meaning it can make us feel more confident, too. Sadly the opposite is true, so a bad hair day can dent our inner self esteem.’
This latest survey forms part of the new Charles Worthington ‘Love Your Hair’ Campaign that aims to get to the heart of women’s hair woes and help them learn to love their locks. See the video here:

Other key findings include:

· 36% of women feel that their hair is just ‘ok’
· Nearly half of women (44%) have not drastically changed their hair for over five years
· 79% of women have still not managed to find their perfect haircare regime
· Almost 8 out of 10 find the thought of changing their hairstyle daunting
· Over half of those surveyed (61%) agree that when their hair looks good, they feel more confident
· 47% of women don’t understand their hair and how to make the best of it
· 26% admit to being in a ‘hair rut’ and feel that it really is finally time for a change

‘We want to get women talking about their hair relationship. Once you understand how your hair works, it should be easier for you to learn to love it – and that’s where our Charles Worthington Love Your Hair campaign comes into play.

Simple changes like using the right products can make all the difference to your style and really help to keep your look current. It’s all about building enough confidence to find a style that suits you. Sometimes it’s as simple as switching from a conditioner that was right for you in your 20s to one that offers extra body in your 40s. We want to encourage women to experiment with new products, styles and looks so that 10 out of 10 women love their locks.’